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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah has revealed that he receives Instagram messages from his Gabonese teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

What’s the word?

Nketiah, who is currently on loan at Championship side Leeds United, has spoken of the significance to have good support in football and how he is in regular contact with Aubameyang.

The 20-year-old is not having the best of times at Leeds after only playing 133 minutes for the Whites. However, he has managed to score four goals in eight appearances.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the youngster has expressed his disappointment about his lack of playing time in Marcelo Bielsa’s side, per the Mirror.

Speaking to Goal, however, Nketiah has revealed that he keeps in regular contact with Arsenal’s leading goalscorer.

He said: “I’ve got a way to go to be compared to Aubameyang! I always try to have a good impact on the game. I’m in good form I feel like for club and country. He messages me sometimes through Instagram.”

Nketiah continued: “I think it’s good to have that kind of support around you. It’s important for people that you care about and that care about you. Every time I come away here is a great opportunity for me to show myself, my talents that I have.”

A good role model

For Nketiah to have a responsible and mature figure in Aubameyang to look up to will only benefit the youngster going forward.

So far this season, Aubameyang has scored eight goals in 10 appearances and was the joint winner of the Premier League Golden Boot award for the 2018/19 campaign along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. The African trio shared the spoils with 22 goals apiece.

The influence that the Gabonese striker has had on Nketiah already has been evident this season, in particular.

In the video below, we look at where it all went wrong for Arsenal’s former ‘saviour’, Mesut Ozil…

His hat-trick during England U21s’ 5-1 win against Austria U21 side caught the eye of former England international Stuart Pearce, who likened his traits to Salah, per BT Sport (via football.london).

Having a player such as Aubameyang around Nketiah will benefit his career going forward and his future at Arsenal.

With last season’s top scorer consistently providing advice and guidance, Nketiah can feel that he is in safe hands in north London.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to ESPN, Manchester United are keen on entering into new contract talks with Paul Pogba.

What’s the word?

The France World Cup winner had been the subject of intense transfer speculation over the course of the summer window, with reports suggesting the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus were keen on luring him away from Old Trafford.

However, a move failed to materialise before the end of the transfer window, and now, ESPN claim the Red Devils want to sit down with the midfielder’s agent, Mino Raiola, to discuss a contract extension.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The report adds that having agreed new deals for the likes of David de Gea and Victor Lindelof in recent weeks, they are “ready to turn their attentions to Pogba”.

End of the saga

After publicly admitting he would be open to a “new challenge”, it looked almost inevitable Pogba would be heading for the Old Trafford exit door.

However, no club coughed up United’s reported asking price and it has left the Frenchman in the awkward position of playing for a team he seemed keen on leaving.

So on the face of it, offering a new contract to a player who has wanted, and perhaps still wants out, is questionable.

But if the Red Devils can convince Pogba to commit his long-term future to United, they would be making a huge statement. Success on the pitch may be lacking in recent years, but they still have the aura and the power to keep hold of their best players even when things aren’t going to plan.

A new deal would also finally end any doubts in Pogba’s head of potentially leaving and allow him to fully concentrate on his football. Amidst all the criticism he faced last season, the 26-year-old still managed an impressive 16 goals and 11 assists across all competitions.

A new contract could leave him re-energised and setting about trying to be the leader of this United team rather than being distracted by a potential departure.

Inspiration can come from different sources, and for the midfield maverick, a new long-term contract could be exactly what he needs.

Wijnaldum says he was excited to see the new breed of players being ushered into the squad, and he singled out two individuals who particularly impressed him.

The Dutchman paid tribute to Harvey Elliott and Ki-Jana Hoever in his post, as he congratulated 16 year-old Elliott on being crowned Man of the Match by the club and 17 year-old Hoever for scoring his first goal for Liverpool.

[ad_pod ]It’s rare for a transfer that happened over 30 years ago to be a point of discussion, but someone dug up Gary Lineker’s Q&A with FourFourTwo from 2015 and thus people have been speaking about the fact that he never moved to Manchester United, despite their interest.The Match of the Day presenter spoke very candidly in the Q&A about the fact United wanted to sign him in 1989.Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

This raised further questions about the Red Devils wanting to sign the former England international further back in 1985. Fortunately, Lineker was more than happy to answer.

Lineker set the record straight on United’s interest in him in 1985. He said that he wasn’t interested in moving to Old Trafford due to the fact Everton were a dominant force in English football back in the 80s.

His words are likely to sting a number of United supporters as he called them ‘very average’ in his tweet. However, it will likely please a number of Everton supporters to know that they were the preferred destination ahead of one of the world’s biggest clubs.

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The Premier League is back in action this weekend following the first international break of the season which has taken priority over the past couple of weeks.

Wolves will be looking to turn their domestic campaign around as they sit 17th in the table having drawn three and lost one of their opening four matches.

Last time out they were defeated by Everton and a European hangover spearheaded by fatigue, which Adama Traore has tried to deny in recent times, could have proved to be the pivotal reason to why they lost 3-2.

Watch Premier League Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Things won’t get any easier as they host Chelsea at Molineux on Saturday afternoon with Frank Lampard looking for improvements after an indifferent start to his reign in west London – they’ve won just one game and sit two points ahead of Wolves.

Some of Nuno Santo’s men will have enjoyed the time off while others are returning from international duty, so what sort of side will the Portuguese boss put out?

The 45-year-old will be forced into at least one major decision following Willy Boly’s red card at Goodison Park – that means Jesus Vallejo likely takes his spot, playing for the very first time in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old has been a familiar figure in their Europa League side, playing in each of their last three matches, so there should be no issue in him settling in this weekend.

Against Everton, Nuno rested both Joao Moutinho and Diogo Jota and they should certainly come back into the starting lineup, the latter more so after not featuring for his national side, Portugal this week.

If you don’t know the words to the Joao Moutinho chant in the video below, are you even a real Wolves fan?…

His tried and tested partnership of Jota and Raul Jimenez can continue having both played over 30 games together last season.

Romain Saiss started that game but now faces time on the sidelines so the Wolves boss could revert back to a midfield three that includes Ruben Neves and Leander Dendoncker sitting behind the 5 foot 7 Portuguese playmaker.

In the wing-back positions, Traore is likely to remain in the absence of Matt Doherty while Jonny could be in with a shout to start after Ruben Vinagre’s poor showing, earning a rating of 6.6 versus the Toffees.

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Marina Granovskaia is Chelsea’s transfer chief, and she’s largely taken over the mantle from Michael Emenalo at Stamford Bridge. Typically, she’s involved in everything from contractual renewals to big money signings to handling incoming transfer offers.

She’s had a big role to play, then, in the future of Callum Hudson-Odoi. Indeed, according to the Telegraph, she has informed Bayern Munich that Chelsea’s talented teenager is not for sale – which is a huge decision. The Blues have, as a result, turned down millions of pounds in an effort to give a young player a chance.

Throughout her tenure, she’s made some huge decisions, like bringing in Maurizio Sarri and playing a part in the signing dozens of players, but it’s her decision on Hudson-Odoi that could end up being her crowning achievement at Stamford Bridge.

In the past, this isn’t a decision that Chelsea would have taken. The Blues have regularly been willing to cash in on young players in favour of bringing in more established names, and for a while, it looked like this would go down the same path.

However, Granovskaia has taken a different path, and if it works out, it could be huge for the club. If Hudson-Odoi is able to make an impact in the Chelsea first team, not only will her decision be vindicated, but it could also open the door for Chelsea’s other young players to force their way into the team. After all, if Hudson-Odoi is rated so highly and has proven his worth; why can’t they?

Of course, it could all go poorly. If he has a poor second-half of the season, Chelsea will live to regret not taking the money and running.

That’s a risk, though it had to be taken, and the results could be huge.

Forget the sackings and the hirings. This is a decision that could have huge consequences for years to come – and it could be a defining 6 months for Granovskaia as a result.

Thoughts?

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Albian Ajeti has no room for error at West Ham United.

The club signed the forward alongside Sebastian Haller in the summer and the latter has enjoyed an exceptional start to life in east London.

The Frenchman scored in the 2-0 win over Norwich City at the weekend and was also on the scoresheet as the Irons beat Watford 3-1.

And yet it is Ajeti who is now under the microscope.

Indeed, the Hammers decided to cash in on forward Javier Hernandez on Monday, allowing the Mexico international to move to Sevilla.

It leaves the club with two senior strikers: Haller and Ajeti.

Sources at the club, when contacted on Monday, insisted that Andriy Yarmolenko can play in the striker role and Michail Antonio can too, though the latter is injured.

It means that Ajeti has to take to Premier League football like a duck to water.

Haller cannot be expected to play in every top-flight game for the remainder of the season as he will surely need a rest at some point, particularly over the busy Christmas period.

Ajeti is a goalscorer and he netted 21 times in all competitions last season for FC Basel.

He also scored twice for the Swiss club this season, once in Champions League qualification and once in the Super League.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Yet he drew a blank on his debut for the Irons against Newport County in the Carabao Cup and he has yet to show what he is capable of in the top-flight.

It may be that he proves his worth, that he makes his debut and swiftly manages to hit the back of the net, and then goes from strength to strength.

But if the opposite happens, if he cannot adapt, if he cannot get on the scoresheet quickly, then West Ham’s decision to move Hernandez on will look all the more bizarre.

And that, by extension, would only increase the pressure on Haller.

Ajeti has no room for error.

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Wolves are still prioritising the signing of a new centre-back in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Wolves impress at the back

Bruno Lage’s side are enjoying an increasingly impressive season, sitting eighth in the Premier League table after 20 matches.

Wolves’ success has been built on an excellent defence, with the go-to back-three of Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Romain Saiss ensuring they have conceded just 15 league goals.

Despite this, a new defender could be needed this month – Saiss is currently away at AFCON – and a key update has emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Journalist makes centre-back claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed Lage still sees a centre-back addition as a fairly strong possibility in January:

“I don’t think they’re desperate to bring in another centre midfielder. I think a centre-back is Bruno Lage’s top target in this window if he is to bring somebody in.”

The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

While Kilman, Coady and Saiss have all impressed this season, added depth is required in the squad, in case one of them gets injured or fatigue sets in.

Willy Boly’s ongoing fitness issues mean Wolves feel light in that area especially while Saiss is away, so bringing in someone such as Duje Caleta-Car from Marseille would make perfect sense.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Molineux and has averaged 1.2 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game in Ligue 1 this season, not to mention winning 20 caps for Croatia.

In other news, Tim Spiers has made a key claim regarding Wolves’ transfer business. Read more here.

With three new players through the door during the current January transfer window, Aston Villa could be set to miss out on a big opportunity to strengthen their squad even further before the end of the month.

What’s the news?

After being mentioned with a move to sign Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria, it seems as though the Midlands club could be set to miss out on signing the Swiss international after journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared a post on his official Twitter page with the latest details regarding the midfielder.

In the tail off to his update about the midfielder, Romano uttered the dreaded five-word update: “Premier League move seems unlikely.”

He then went on to suggest that Bayern Munich and Dortmund were pushing to sign him.

Fans will be gutted

Since joining Monchengladbach back in the 2017 summer transfer window, the 25-year-old has gone on to make a total of  146 appearances for the club across all competitions with five of those appearances coming in the Champions League last season, showing the sort of top-level experience the midfield maestro has under his belt and why he would be a useful asset in Gerrard’s squad.

With all of that in mind and the fact that Gerrard apparently wants to add a midfielder to his squad before the end of the month, Zakaria could be a valid and cheap option for Villa to sign after they reportedly had a bid of £25m rejected by Brighton & Hove Albion for Yves Bissouma.

Thus, if Zakaria does end up moving to Bayern or Dortmund this month for the relatively low transfer fee Romano speaks of, it would surely be disappointing for the Villa fans to see their club not do all they can to bring him to Villa Park.

That’s especially when you consider how active they have been in the transfer window so far and how capable they have been when it comes to spending money on new players.

Consequently, the Villans would then have to make sure they bring a different midfielder in before the window closes to give Gerrard the best possible chance of ending his first season in charge of Villa as strongly as he can.

In other news: Talks ongoing: Sky Sports journo drops big Villa update on live TV, fans surely elated – opinion

Many Liverpool fans voiced their frustration with Jordan Henderson during the Premier League clash with Leicester City on Tuesday night. 

Liverpool were looking to return to winning ways after their six-game streak was halted by a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on 19 December.

Leicester, meanwhile, were facing a title contender for the second time in three days, having lost 6-3 at league leaders Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Henderson’s Leicester struggle

Henderson returned to the starting line-up after missing the Spurs draw through illness.

Jurgen Klopp selected him alongside Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in his three-man midfield.

He took on three shots from range in the first half of the match, but all three of them missed the target.

The Reds skipper also misplaced 13 of the 47 passes he attempted, meaning his accuracy was only 72 per cent.

Here’s what a selection of supporters on Twitter made of the 31-year-old’s display at The King Power Stadium, as he was eventually withdrawn for Roberto Firmino while the Reds fell six points behind Manchester City…

These Liverpool fans lay into Henderson

“Henderson has been abysmal”

Credit: @Liverpxxl

“Every week I shed another tear at the fact that we extended henderson’s contract”

Credit: @RHLFC7

“Henderson can’t keep getting away with these performances”

Credit: @kwaku_tvb

“Henderson disasterclass and mane awful”

Credit: @kop_for_ever

“Love watching Henderson sky volleys into the 30th row”

Credit: @commenterlfc

“Get Henderson off immediately and terminate his contract. Awful awful player, who gave this imbecile an extension?”

Credit: @LaVillanelle

In other news, fans mocked this Mohamed Salah claim.